Ice grid



Nov. 11, 1930.1 E. P. s. NEWMAN 1,780,980

ICE GRID Filed Feb. 4, 1929 Patented Nov. 11, 1 930 EDWIN P. S. NEWMAN, OF'WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ICE GRID Application and February 4, 1929. Serial n. 337,424.

1 The present invention is an improved grid for the drawers or trays of ice making machines in which trays ice cubes for domestic use are formed. These'grids divide the trays into a plurality of compartments or spaces in which water is placed sothat'after the refrigerating operation a plurality of ice cubes are, provided. 4

The grids generally in use are. removable of the tray to be released. The result of this being that often many or 'all of the cubes of ice drop from the tray becoming dirty or unusuable and the hands become'chilled or wet during the operation. I

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved grid forcube making trays overcoming the drawbacks renumerated above, and wherein it is not necessary to invert the tray to" secure removal of the ice cubes; where the grid may be removed from the tray without the hands touching the ice cubes or the grid per se; where the rid containing the cubes may be removed rom the tray and the cubes individually removed therefrom as desired.

Theinvention further has for its object the provision of a grid of the above stated chartrate several examples of an ice tray grid embodying the principles of the invention,

as at present devised:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ice cube tray or drawer with the improved grid of the present invention having been raised acter which is economical to manufacture,"

therefrom, and further illustrating the manner in which the ice cubes may be individually removed therefrom; H

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the grid taken substantially. on line 22 of Figure 1; f v

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a grid of modlfieddesign and constructed in accord ance with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modified construction embdyi-ng the invention;

Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 66 of Figure 4:; and v Figure 7 is a plan view of a modified grid. To accomplish the objects above enumerated, the removable gridfor ice trays of refrigerating apparatus is provided with a plurality of vertical partitions 10, of suitable material, connected together in any suitable manner or design forming a unitary frame removable from the ice tray 11. The grid thus forms, when in the tray, a multiplicity of compartments 12 each producing an ice cube in a manner well understood in the art during the refrigerating operation, the grid per se being opened on its top and bottom sides.

' These compartments 12 are such as are capable of preventing the ice cubes from falling or dropping therefrom, when the grid has been. removed from the tray as shown in Figure 1, yet being opened at their bottom to permit the insertion of the grid in a tray of water in. the usual manner previous to refrigeration and, further, for per 'mitting a finger or other implement to be inserted in the bottom of the compartment to assist in removing the individual ice cube from each compartment. The grid of course is preferably provided with a suitable handle 13 by which the grid containing all of the ice cubes can be removed from the tray after the ice therein has sufliciently thawed to release itself from the walls of the tray. Several examples are shown in the drawings for construcwting the compartments to accomplish this pu pose, although applidesired purpose.

' compartments.

. I In Figure These flanges are shown as continuous, but.

may only be smaller projections 1 1* in contra-dlstinction to continuous, and moreover may not be provlded on all walls of a compartment but only on one or possibly two of the walls as is necessary to accomplish the (See Figure 7.)

In order to prevent accidental lateral movement of the cubes from the outer compartments of the grid, which are only provided with three side walls, the outer ends of each partition or wall is provided with a like flange or projection 15 at its lower corner, substantially the outer edge of- Figures 1 and 2. these projections or flanges 15 may be formed by a continuation of the flange 14.

The handle'13 may be of any suitable de sign or construction, but is here shown as of a bail type having its free ends inturned and received in suitable openings 16 formed in the partitions of the grid. As shown in Figure 1, the handle 13 is positioned centrally of the grid so that the same will be selfbalancing and is connected with the outermost partitions so as not to interfere with the removal of the ice from the adjacent upwardly for a distance with the partition, as shown in slightly bent in order that the handle portion 13 thereof will lie downwardly against a side edge of the tray 11, is in its lowered position, and thereby not interfere with the insertions of the tray or drawer into the drawer opening of the refrigerator.

3 a modified form of grid is consists of a central partition 17 having spaced and laterally extending vertical partitions 18 extended therefrom. This form of grid permits the formation of an elongated ice cube, and, further eliminates the rovision of central compartment-s closed by our side walls from which the removal of the ice is. not as convenient as when-the shown which cube compartments have only three walls removed, thus enabling the ice cubes to be removed by the thumb and forefinger as shown in Figure 1'. I v

Figures 4, 5 and 6 show a further modified form of grid, where the ice is prevented from dropping from the compartments of the grid by the vertical partitions 10 thereof having which flange or projection 15 extends As shown in the drawings v The side legs of the bail are when the handle a very sanitary, novel and nsefnllce tray grid has been provided for overcoming many of the ob ections and drawbacks attendant with the grids now commonly in use. The ice cubes formed in the present grid need not be touched by human hand in order to effect their removal, but may be passed around in the grid which acts as a-supporting or serving tray. The present invention also eliminates the now very disagreeable and unpleasant experiences in removing ice cubes from the tray by inverting the tray and holding same under water resulting in the loss of many cubes falling into a sink or other receptacle during the melting operation necessary to remove the cubes from the tray as is now commonly in practice. but on the contrary permits only those cubes that are desired to be conveniently removed, after the grid has been raised from the tray.

What is claimed is;

1. A grid for ice trays comprising a-plnrality of partitions relatively arranged to provide open ended ice molding compartments, said grid being provided adjacent one of said open ends of each compartment with laterally extended ice block supporting means shaped to restrict the area of the adjacent open ends of said compartments.

whereby the ice blocks are prevented, from falling through said open ends.

2. A grid for ice trays of refrigerating machines eomprising a plurality of spaced angularly disposed partitions connected together to form the grid having upper and lower grid is. removed from the tray.

{3. A grid for ice trays of refrigerating machines comprlsing a plurality of spaced vertical partitions connected together to form the grid, having ice molding compartments opened at opposite ends, corresponding open ends of the compartments being of less area than the other open ends thereof and a bail handle movably mounted on the grid permitting the latter to be suspended from the bandle with the larger opened ends of said compartments uppermost and permitting the bail handle to be moved to an unobstruc'ting position so that the tray and grid may be inserted into the freezing compartment of the refrigerating machine.

4. A grid for ice trays of refrigerating ma-.

chines comprising a plurality of connected vertical partitionsrelatively arranged to provide the grid having a number of ice molding compartments with upper and lower open ends and remov ably insertable in a tray, a handle by which the grid may be inserted into and-removed from a tray with the upper open ends of said compartments uppermost, the

lower open endsof the compartments being of less area than the upper open ends'thereof, whereby the ice blocks are prevented from falling through said lower open ends, when the\ grid is removed from said tray. 7

- 5. A grid for ice trays of refrigerating machines comprising a plurality of connected vertical partitions relativel arranged to provide the grid having a num er of ice molding compartments with upper and lower open ends and removably insertable in a tray, a handle by which the grid may be inserted into and removed from a tray with the upper open ends of said compartments uppermost, and means on at least one of said partition walls of each compartment to prevent the ice block therein from falling through the lower open end of the compartments, when the grid is removed from said tray. 7

6. A grid for ice trays of refrigerating machines provided by a pluralityof intersecting vertical partitions forming the grid "having ice molding compartments open at opposite ends and at one of their outer sides, each compartment bein provided with-laterally inwardly exten ing surfaces adjacent their open side and one of their open ends tosupport the ice blocks therein for a time, after-,.

-. the'ice blocks have thawed from frozen contact with thepartition walls',-whereby "the v said blocks 'are prevented from dropping from one of said-open ends and of said compartments.

7. A grid forice trays of refrigerating machines provided by a plurality of intersecting said open side A vertical partitions forming the grid haying ice molding compartments open at opposite ends and at one of their outer sides, each com-.

partment. being provided-with laterally inwardlyextending. surfaces 7 ad acent their open side an one of their open en s to support the ice blocks therein'tor a time after the iceblocks have thawed from frozen contact with the partition walls, whereby the said blocks are prevented trom dropping-- from one of said open ends-and said open side of said compartments, and handle means 'on the grid positioned to permit manipulation of the grid with the other open endsof the compartment uppermost. I 8. A grid for ice trays ofrefrigeratm ma chines comprising a plurality 0 space yer- 'tical intersecting partitions connected; to gether in a'unita'ry. frame, handle means on the upper side of said grid by whlch the same i may be inserted intoand removed from'a tray,

abutments on the partitions at the lower edges ,eee

thereof extending inwardly for a distance partitions.

9. A grid for ice trays of refrigeratin machines comprising a plurality of spaced vertlcal intersecting partitions connected together in a unitary frame, handle means on the upper side of said grid by which the same may be inserted intoand removed from a tray, ahutments'on the partitions at the lower edges thereof extending inwardly for a distance into the compartments formed between said partitions, and abutments on the end edges of said partitions extending laterally for a distance.

10. A grid for ice trays of, refrigerating machines comprising a plurality of spaced partitions forming ice molding compartments therebetween opened at their upper and lower ends, the openings at thelower ends of said compartments being of greater restricted area than the openings at the upper ends thereof,

and: a pivoted handle mounted on the grid,

for ice cube' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

'EDWINP. S. NEWMANi 

